The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-06
MEMPHIS And NASHVILLE
TO BE UNITED By A RAILROAD
III TIE PEOPLE
viii Only Give Some Help-A Com.
mittee Appointed by the Exchange
to Secure Subscriptions.

A meeting CT citizens OF Memphis
was held yesterday forenoon at IL
o'clock at the Merchant Exchange
in the interest of the proposed rail-
road from Memphis to Nashville. The
attendance was large, and embraced,
among others, the following named
gentlemen: John Overton, IT,, John
4. Willins, VIM. Everman, Ban
kWilson, r. H. Temple, ]. I. Treze.
want, 7. O. Leake, jr, John s. Toof,
ii. M. Nicely, J. 3. Mallory, I. j.
Latham, Napoleon Hill, Hugh L.
Brinkley, John K. Speed, s. Il. BROOKE,
A. @. 1resdwell, W. W. Schoolfeld,
w. ]. Chase, w. D. Bethel, Josiah
Patterson, r. F. Patterson, Emmett
Howard, ]. F. Frank.
Mr.. W. j. .Ohass, President Of the
Exchange, called the meeting to or
der, and on motion, Mr.. John Over
ton was elected chairman.
By order of the chairman the fol.
lowing lettsr vas read in explanation
OF the object OF the meeting:
Mr.. LEAKE o.MR. W. d. BkTHRLL.
hbhfhIbe 1ENEsl hnuHTy ., 1851.
Capt. W. D. Bethel, Memphis, Tenn:
Ny DEAR SIR-Obedient to your re.
quest for q statement relative to the
proposed railroad through Tennessee
to lay before a general committee OF
your citizens to be held at the Mer.
chants Exchange for the purpose Of
discussing it's merits and proposition
for local aid, l would respectfully SUBJ
init, that the charters which have
been occurred for the Memphis and
Nashville Railroad Company and the
Tennessee Midland Railway Company,
propose a line of railroad from Mem
phis, az it's western terminus. through
the Safe of Tennessee, via Nashville,
to the Virginia State line, and on
through Southwest Virginia TO a
connection with the Eastern trunk
lines, making the most direct
line between the East and Wet
From Memphis to the Tenness 20
river this road will traverse the Ten
nessee cotton belt, and, If constructed,
should add several hundred thousand
bales OF cotton to the annual receipts
OF Memphis and open up to her mer-
chants that rich section which trade.
now with st. Louis and New o leans.
feel justified in saying that with
proper local encouragement this great
highway, traversing your State of
nearly 900 miles and involving an ex-
penditure of some $l5, 100000, will be
commenced within the next ninety
days.
We beg to submit for the considera-
ton Of your cit zsns the proposition
that your Taxing District grant US
right OF way within the corporate
limits and your citizens subscribe to
100000 of the capital stock of this
Tennessee railroad, so per cent. OF the
subscription payable when the road is
completed and opened for traffic be-
tween Memphis and the Illinois
Central railroad, and the remaining 90
per cent. when completed and opened
for traffic between Memphis and the
Tennessee river.
will arrange to be present at your
meeting, and shall be glad to furnish
any other information desired.
Thanking you and your Exchange
for the interest shown and prompt
action taken, l am, yours very truly,
7. @. LEAKE, JR.
After the reading of the above Mr..
Leake, who was present, was called
upon to indicate the route OF the pro.
posed road. This duty he shifted to
the shoulders OF Col. Josiah Patterson,
who at once responded. He spoke of
the great benefits that would accrue
to Memphis by the proposed new line.
There was no doubt of the ability OF
the gentlemen interested in the move
ment to build the road. Itwould tra-
verse the richest agricultural and min
eral districts of Tennessee. The COM
pany already had surveying parties in
the field, and were expanding about
$4,000 per month. The fif cen gentle.
men who were interesting themselves
ara well known. They are: T.
O. Leake, jr., A. s. Buford,
H. Temple, Charles Watkins, jones
T. Gray, Thomas G. Williams and ]. ].
Moutsgue, of Richmond, Va; A. L.
Crawford, of Newcastle, Pa, Nathaniel
Baxter jr, and J. M. Hamilton, OF
Nashville; Napoleon Hill, W. ID.
Bethel and John Overton, IT,, OF
Memphis. All they ask of the citi-
sens Of Memphis 10 to take the matter
under sdvisement. The speaker then
gave details of its eastern connec-
tons, which would be the Baltimore
and Ohio, the Richmond and Danville
aud the Richmond ard Allegheny.
The charters under which the road
would be built were known as the
Memphis and Nashville, the Nash
vile and Knoxville, and the Tennes-,
see Midland.
The following resolution was then
adopted
Resolved, That it is the sense Of this
meeting that the proposition Of Mr..
Y. O. Leake, jr., and his associates to
construct railroad through the
State of Tennessee from Men,
phis via Nashville to the Vir-
ginia line, should meet with the
cordial support and cooperation OF
the people of Memphis, and we do
earnestly recommend that our citizens
do everything necessary to secure to
the road suitable terminal facilities at
Memphis, and that our business men
promote the enterprise by subscribing
500, 900 to the capital stock OF the
company.
On motion OF Mr.. II. NJ. Nicely, the
chair appointed the following commit
tee to solicit subscriptions to the capt.
tai stock: John K. Speed, T. ].
Latham, W. w. Schoolfeld, J. 7. Pet
tit, Ben Wilson. II. M. Nicely, on
motion, was added to the committee.
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL
The following reso luttioDs were in
tfoducea by Mr.. W. III. SDeed and
unanimously adopted: EM
WHEREAS, 1t is the sense OF this,
the Memphis Merchants Exchange,
this day in convention assembled, that
a passage of the bill now pending be.